The Lost Chapter
by writer writing
Summary: A Smallville version of Superman Returns.
1. Chapter 1

I'm up to the point in my life where I had been married to Bruce for 2 years. I want to take some time out again and focus on Clark and Lois. It's probably one of the most interesting and important stories of their life, but I ran into the dilemma of not being able to tell it to the public. I'm going to give this chapter to Jason, Lois and Clark's son, to hold on to and pass down until it can't hurt anybody anymore. When this story becomes historical and not about people of the present day, it can be told.

I looked back at chapter 7 and realized I was just as focused about what was going on in the present day. I don't want to do that with this chapter, so I already consulted Lois and Clark, and I'll let them check over it when it's done.

I am not directly involved in this story, but I was confided in along the way. Sometimes people seem to think that the C in my name stands for confidante instead of Chloe, but I'm fine with that. I thought about where to start the story and decided to begin with Lois telling me the news. It was lightening and thundering that night, so it gives it even more of a dramatic effect. Here goes.

Lois stood in the pouring rain, knocking on the front door of Wayne Manor. At last, Alfred opened the door.

"Miss Lane? I did not know you were coming."

Lois stepped in and Alfred helped her out of her raincoat. She wrung her hair out like a wet dishrag.

"It was a last minute thing, Alfie."

"Miss Lane, I do not like that nickname."

"I know. Perhaps you'd prefer Freddie or butler guy?"

"No, madam. Alfie is fine."

"I thought so," she said it with a smile, but Alfred noticed it wasn't her usual jovial smile. It was very forced. "I suppose my cousin is here?"

"Yes, madam. Up the stairs and 2nd library to the right."

"And straight on 'til morning? Got it."

Alfred was concerned for Miss Lane as he watched her go. She couldn't hide that something was very wrong despite all her kidding around. He hoped Chloe could help.

Lois pulled her turtleneck higher up for more warmth. The place was so big and drafty. She'd take her cozy, little apartment any day. Needless to say, Chloe was surprised to see her. She almost dropped her book but hugged her older cousin instead.

"Hey, Lois! What a surprise. How are you?"

Lois didn't say anything. She shoved her hands in her pocket and walked over to the window to look out. After a few seconds of silence, Lois asked in a casual tone, "Where's Bruce?"

"Oh, he's out on business."

"At this time of night? Did you tell him he's not a bat?"

"I've tried, but he won't listen." (Lois didn't know at this time that my husband was Batman. That's another fact that can't make it into my autobiography until after we're all gone.)

"It's raining cats and dogs."

"I know you didn't come all the way to Gotham City to make small talk, so spill it."

Lois was still staring out the window. "It's hard for me to tell you this. We haven't really had the whole sisterly, confide-in-me relationship that we once had. We've gone our separate ways, but you're the only one I have to turn to about this."

"Go ahead, Lois. Whatever it is, I'm ready. I won't judge you."

Lois finally turned around. There were tears rolling down her cheeks. "I suppose you know that I was rather fond of Superman."

Chloe nodded. "We all are and we're all going to miss him, but he needs to find out if that's a piece of Krypton with living Kryptonians or not."

"I know it's important to him to find biological family members, and I guess he deserves it. He's saved this planet countless times. It was stupid to think that a man like that would be happy with a primitive species."

"Lois, that's not true and you know it. Earth is his home. We're equals to him. He just wants to connect with his roots like any adopted child would."

"Scientists are estimating the trip will take at least 5 years. Maybe more."

"I know he's a close friend of yours and you're going to miss him, but—"

"Chloe, he's more than that."

"I know you get all his exclusives. He's important to you professionally."

"I love him, Chloe."

"I completely understand. You have a crush on a superhero. Before I fell in love with Bruce, I had a crush on Batman. It happens to the best of us. Sooner or later though, we have to give up those fantasies and fall in love with a real person."

"I know, and I wish with every ounce of my being that I had, but it's too late for that. I'm pregnant with his baby."

Chloe's expression must have been one of pure and utter shock. 'Superman' often visited her and Bruce but never had he mentioned a relationship with Lois other than at a professional and friendship level. He was always talking about her though. It just didn't seem like Clark's style to get a woman pregnant and then leave.

"I don't know how it happened really," Lois said. "He dropped me off at my apartment. I asked him not to leave and he didn't. I'm ashamed to think I let emotions override common sense, but I did. 6 years we've known each other and not once did we ever do anything but kiss. Then one night and I'm pregnant. I think that slogan 'marriage before the carriage' makes a lot more sense now. You know what hurts is that he didn't even say goodbye. We had an appointment to meet, and he didn't have the guts to show up and tell me he was leaving. I could've told him I was pregnant."

"I don't think you would have."

"No. Then he would've stayed out of obligation to me. I would never use a baby to hold onto a man. You know what really makes me a horrible person?"

Chloe didn't answer.

"I should be missing the father of my child above anybody else, but I miss Clark just as much, if not more. When I found out that Superman had left, I wanted to run to Clark and cry on his shoulder and have him hold me. I know I give him a hard way to go, but Clark is my best friend and partner. He told me he was going to some unreachable foreign place to find himself but that he wouldn't go if I wanted him to stay. I was so distracted about the whole situation that I just blew him off and didn't give it a lot of thought until Superman was gone. It serves me right though because I'm in love with two men. There I said it. I love Superman and I love Clark Kent and I've lost them both."

Lois began to sob uncontrollably. Chloe did her best to comfort her, but there was only so much comfort you could give in a situation like this. Chloe just couldn't believe that Clark felt comfortable enough to have an intimate relationship with Lois but not tell her his identity. It wasn't Chloe's place to tell though, so she didn't. She just let Lois get all the crying out of her system. At last, Lois wiped away the last tear. She stood up, her eyes still red and asked to borrow the computer. She pounded furiously at the keys and brought Chloe back a piece of paper titled "Why the World Doesn't Need Superman" by Lois Lane.

"It's wonderfully written, Lois, but are you sure this is how you want to present Superman's absence?"

"I'm positive. I don't need him and neither does the world. I'm going to fax it to Perry and then it's back to Metropolis."

"You should spend the night."

"I have to work in the morning." She patted her belly. "I'll have to go on maternity leave soon enough. I want to work while I can."

Chloe knew there was no way to persuade her. "Bruce and I will help with the baby in any way we can."

"That's nice of you, but I can handle it. Rest assured though that this baby will know its Aunt Chloe. Maybe I'll visit again in a couple of months."

"You'd better, and I'll visit too."

Lois left into the rainy night almost as suddenly as she had come.


	2. Chapter 2

Chloe was in Lois' apartment helping her get ready for the baby shower. They were putting a baby themed tablecloth on the kitchen table.

"Lois, I still don't know why you insisted on throwing the shower yourself."

"Because if I'd left it up to you, there would have been a million people and some fancy party."

"So who all did you invite?"

"You, your husband, Jimmy, Perry, Richard, and if you count me and the baby, that's a total of 7 people."

"What a pitiful guest list and you invited mostly men. They don't know how to behave at a baby shower or what kind of presents to bring."

"I don't have any friends that are girls except for you."

"What about your sister?"

"I haven't told my dad or sister that I'm pregnant."

"You'll have to sooner or later. What about Martha?"

"Mrs. Kent is a wonderful lady, and I even think of her as an honorary mother, but I don't want her to know that I had a child out of wedlock. I couldn't bear to see her disappointed in me."

"Mrs. Kent would not be disappointed. She would treat the baby like a grandchild. Don't forget that Clark is away and she's alone on the farm except for the animals and workers she hired."

"Everybody in Smallville loves her. She won't be lonely. I just can't go to Smallville or see Mrs. Kent. It's a painful reminder of the past. Hand me the stool, so I can hang the banner."

"I'll do it. I don't want to risk you falling. Have you picked out a name yet?"

"I've been narrowing it down. At least, I found out the baby's gender or I'd have to be looking through girl's names too. I'll have to come to a decision soon. I don't want to have to figure it out at the hospital when I'm all doped up. So when are you and Bruce going to have a baby? My baby could use a cousin to play with."

"We're not ready for kids yet. We're happy just being a couple for a while. Besides, can you imagine poor Alfred changing diapers?" Chloe asked, coming down off the stool.

"That is an interesting image. Ready to help me make the punch?"

"Boy, do you need help with that. Maybe you should just watch with your culinary skills."

"Point taken."

As Chloe took the juice and ginger ale out of the fridge, she asked, "Was Richard White included on that guest list?"

"Yeah, so?"

"I thought you didn't like him?"

"I've developed a tolerance for him." Then she pulled an engagement ring out and put it on her finger.

"You're engaged to the man? Dull Richard?" Chloe asked in disbelief.

"Is that any way to talk about the father of my child?"

Chloe had stopped the punch preparations. "What?"

"I had to, Chloe. I haven't dated in years. The only man I've shown romantic interest in is Superman. I can tell people he's not the father, but they're going to have their suspicions. All it takes is any unusual activity on the baby's part and they could take him away and put him in a lab or at the very least he would grow up in the public eye. I'm afraid, Chloe. The pregnancy has been normal so far, but what about the baby? I have no idea what to expect. Maybe he's got his father's powers and maybe he doesn't. In any case, I need a decoy and Richard is it."

"You spent a night with Richard and then told him he was the baby's father? That's terrible."

"He knows he's not the baby's father."

"So he knows the father is Superman? Lois—"

"No, he doesn't know who the father is, but he's agreed to say it's his and the engagement was his idea."

"Do you love him? Didn't you say he was the most boring man in the world?"

"Yeah, well, boring men don't take long trips through the universe or go off to foreign countries to soul search. They stay and that's what I love about Richard."

"I can't say I agree with that reasoning, but at least I understand. Are you ever going to marry him?"

"We'll see. One step at a time. I might just live with him at first. I have a favor to ask. I never want to talk or hear about Superman or Clark Kent again."

"That'll be tough, since you were nominated for a Pulitzer Prize on that editorial about Superman."

"Chloe, I'm serious. Only 3 people will ever know the baby's real father. You, me, and I'm assuming you told your husband."

"I didn't know you didn't want me to tell him, but he'll keep your secret."

"I know and I didn't specify not to tell him but from now on only Richard is his father."

"What about when you-know-who comes back?"

"5 years down the road, he will have missed some of the baby's most important moments. He will only be his father genetically, but I don't plan on even telling him that much. The man that raised Jason will be his father in all the ways that count."

"Jason?"

"I know what I want to name him now. Jason means 'to heal'. I will heal Chloe whether I want to or not, and this baby will help me do that. Jason Jonathan White."

"Why Jonathan?"

"Mr. Kent was the first person to help me show that I could do more than sell coffee with my life. He was a father to me."

"I like the name."

"So do I. Now are you going to finish making the punch?" Lois asked, taking the ice cream out of the freezer.

sss

Lois sat in her chair, trying to decide which of the 4 presents to open first.

"Lois," Perry said, pulling at his tie, "please, hurry up. I want to go home and get out of this monkey suit. I thought you were supposed to dress up at a baby shower but then again I've never been to one before."

"I guess traditionally you dress up, Chief, but all my maternity clothes are in the laundry, so I had to settle for a Mickey Mouse sweatshirt. You're welcome to shed the tie and jacket."

Perry didn't need to be told twice. "Jimmy, are you going to take off that bowtie of yours?"

"I like my bowtie, Mr. White."

Lois picked up the one from Perry. There was a piece of wallpaper with a newspaper pattern inside.

"All you have to do is call Smiley Wallpaper and set up a time. They'll come and wallpaper the baby's nursery with that. I want my grandnephew in the newspaper business. He's got the genes for it. Never too early to start."

Lois smiled. "Of course, he'll have to learn to read first. Thank you, Perry. It's very nice."

She picked up the one from Jimmy. It was a very nice photo album. "Thank you, Jimmy."

"Open it up, Miss Lane."

There was a picture of the sonogram and one of her with a pregnant belly.

"That's sweet of you. Where did you get the sonogram?"

"He's got friends in high places," Chloe said with a wink, "now open ours."

It was a boy's newborn outfit. "It's adorable, Chloe," she said, looking at the tag. "Designer baby clothes. Who knew? And last but not least an envelope also from Chloe and Bruce." Lois' mouth dropped open. "I can't accept this," she said, putting it back down on the coffee table.

"You don't have a choice," Bruce said, placing it back in her hand.

"It's 500,000 dollars. This paper says you opened a half a million dollar account."

"It's for the baby," Bruce said. "He won't get the money until he turns 18. When you consider the price of an education, it's not that much. On top of that, it's mere pocket change for a billionaire. It's like giving somebody a dollar, if that."

Lois didn't answer but stared angrily at Bruce and Bruce stared right back, never breaking eye contact. At last, Lois sighed and said, "Fine." There weren't many people who could make Lois Lane cave.

"Who wants some punch, a Chloe Wayne specialty?" Chloe asked in a cheerful voice.

"Wait," Richard said, pulling a gift out of his coat pocket, "I have something too."

"The father isn't supposed to give a gift," Lois said.

"Who says? Here."

It was a beautiful silver rattle. "I don't know what to say," Lois said.

"It's a family heirloom. It was mine when I was a baby. My father's before that and his father before that."

Lois was threatening to tear up, especially with her hormones. "It's time for cake and punch, everybody"

sss

Chloe and Bruce were the last ones to leave other than Richard. Chloe looked back and watched as Richard helped pull Lois out of her chair. She hoped her cousin was going to be happy with him and that he was going to be a good father to Jason.


	3. Chapter 3

Chloe checked the address on the sign with the address she had plugged into her GPS. This was definitely Lois and Richard's new place. It was a pretty and scenic spot being next to the water and the house looked pretty nice too. She knocked on the door.

"Whoa," Chloe said when she saw Lois, "you look skinnier."

"I'll take that as a compliment. Sorry, I couldn't meet you at the airport," Lois told her as she shut the door. "I know you want to see the baby right away, but he's asleep. The poor thing is only 2 weeks old and he has asthma. He hasn't been sleeping too well."

"I remember you telling me he had asthma on the phone. You wouldn't think so, would you?"

"No, but I'm glad he didn't inherit any powers."

"What makes you think he won't later on?"

Lois looked at her curiously. "Wouldn't he have them from birth?"

"I don't know, but we don't know that Superman had all his powers as a baby, do we? I'm just saying be prepared. He might be a teen before he gets them."

"I hadn't really thought of it that way. Well, what do you think of the place?"

Chloe took a good look around her. "It looks very nice. How can you afford it?"

"I got 10,000 from winning the Pulitzer Prize. I should win them more often, but the main reason is Richard's family is wealthy and insisted on buying us a place to live."

"Where is Richard?"

"His parents stopped in for a short visit on their way to Paris. They're out having dinner."

"How are your potential in-laws?"

"Snobby and boring. I don't blame Richard for some of his faults now. Apparently, the restaurant they went to doesn't allow babies. They're a couple of baby haters. I bet Richard was raised completely by a nanny."

Chloe smiled. "How is he liking the baby?"

"He makes a good father."

"So what was it like?"

"What?"

"Labor."

"It was worse than you could possibly imagine. I'm still having nightmares about the pain."

"Didn't you get drugs?"

"No. I was too far along. My fault I guess, but I had to finish that article."

Chloe laughed. "You were working on an article while you were in labor? Are you nuts?"

"I must be. I don't recommend it because it was a bad idea. Always go to the hospital at the first sign or you might not get an epidural."

"I'll keep that in mind. Was Richard in the delivery room?"

"No, I didn't want any friends or family in there with me in case the birth turned out to be unusual."

"I'm guessing your dad and sister know you're engaged and have a baby though."

"Yeah. Lucy thinks it's cool. The General wasn't pleased, but he accepted it."

The baby began to cry.

"He's definitely a Lane with that loud cry," Chloe remarked.

"You want to go see him?"

They went into the nursery, and he stopped crying as soon as the nursery door opened.

"He's a quiet baby for the most part. He really only cries when he's by himself," Lois said, stroking the light brown fuzz on his head.

"He's got the prettiest blue eyes. He has to be the most beautiful baby in the world," Chloe said.

"Of course he is," Lois said with motherly pride. "You two want to bond while I get some fresh air?"

"Sure," Chloe answered, taking him out of the crib. After she had examined his tiny hand and feet and spent some time cooing over him, she said, "I don't know about you, Jason, but I want to see what your mommy's up to."

Chloe stepped outside, Jason still in her arms, and saw the tiny light from Lois' cigarette. Lois saw them and threw it to the ground and stamped it out her with her foot.

"Fresh air, my foot," Chloe said. "I can't believe you took up smoking again."

Lois took Jason. "It's not like I was smoking when I was pregnant, and I don't smoke around the baby."

"Your mother died of lung cancer. Do you want Jason to lose his mother to cigarettes too?"

"Don't you dare bring my mother into this. It's not like I'm trying to commit suicide. There are easier ways to do it. I had to take up some kind of addiction. My life is stressful right now and I figured smoking was better than drinking. I'll try to taper off."

"Does Richard know you've picked up smoking again?"

"Why are you always asking what he did or thinks? He's not happy with it, but I'm a big girl and it's my decision." The expression on her face said the conversation was over.

sss

Chloe stayed for a week and helped take care of the baby, which wasn't an easy job.

Chloe observed Lois and saw there was something different about her. It was like a little of Lois slipped away every day. She went through all the motions of being Lois, but it wasn't the same. She had lost her vitality. The spark in her eyes was gone. It wasn't motherhood or postpartum depression, at least she didn't think so. It was Clark Kent. Clark's absence was making her this way. Chloe felt bad about it, but it was starting to make her not like Clark a little bit, whether the situation was intentional or not.

Chloe was reluctant to leave at the end of the week, but she had to let Lois live her own life. The only person that could've really helped Lois was light years away.


	4. Chapter 4

Chloe was laying on the couch, the remote resting on her pregnant belly. According to the news, Superman had made a full recovery. Clark wasn't her favorite person right now, but she was glad he was okay. What she knew about his return was in the news. She hadn't been able to get a hold of Lois, and she hadn't even tried to get a hold of Clark.

From what she could figure out, his first public appearance was saving a plane with Lois on it. Lex Luthor got a crystal from the fortress and started making land in another effort to rule the world. Superman had stopped him but had gone into a coma, and fortunately, recovered. Lois had almost died a couple of times, but Superman had saved her. It made her wonder how Lois had survived without him. Maybe being around Superman drew more than her fair share of trouble.

The doorbell rang. Alfred and Bruce were making repairs to the bat mobile and out of range. She forced herself to get up and answer.

"Hey, Chloe."

Chloe just glared at him.

"Can I come in? Please?" Clark begged.

Chloe grudgingly let him in and they sat down on the couch.

"I'm sorry I didn't visit you sooner, but I've been getting adjusted to my life again. You look mad."

Chloe folded her arms.

"You and the rest of the world. I think the only ones who were glad to see me was Mom and Jimmy. I got my job at the Daily Planet back. It hasn't been the same because Lois isn't my partner now. Lois completely ignores me when I'm Clark Kent. I would be happy if she were angry at me, but she acts like she feels nothing. I know she doesn't love me, but we were friends at one point." He sighed. "It's been tough seeing her with her own family. I found out Jason is mine. Lois told me when I was in the coma. It helped me fight."

"If you're looking for my sympathy, you're not going to get it. If Lois is cold and distant to Clark, you made her that way. I'm glad she told you Jason was yours, but you haven't been honest with her."

"I guess you're talking about the Superman/Clark thing. I was going to tell her. I loved her and I wanted to marry her, but I wanted her to love Clark first."

"But meanwhile you were going to prey on her attraction to Superman."

"You don't understand. She's different around Superman. She's charming and tempting. I can't tell her no. When she's around Clark, she teases me and never fawns over me. It's not that I don't like both sides of her. I just wish she could merge and be a little of both."

"The same way Lois might want Clark and Superman to be one person. 5 years is a long time, and you should know that Lois isn't the type to wait and pine."

"I made a mistake, and I know it. I wasted 5 years of my life for nothing. If I stayed on Earth, I might've had a real family. Lois and Jason are my link to fitting in and being a part of the human race. Yesterday Lois put out an article titled "Why the World Needs Superman", but I don't think she wants to be in a relationship with me."

"You broke her heart. You can't expect her to want to give it to you again. You'll have to move on."

"I can't, and before you bring up Lana, this is different. Lois is my soul mate. Lana was a childhood crush. I love Lois so completely that I know there's no other woman that could come close. I was gone 5 years and in all that time I was away, I couldn't stop thinking about her. My love for her only got stronger. Time and distance can't stop it."

"Have you told her that?"

"No. She loves Richard."

"That shouldn't stop you from telling her. She's not married to Richard and neither is he Jason's father. Lois deserves honesty in all respects."

"You're right. I'm going to tell her everything. Congratulations by the way. Do you know if it's going to be a boy or a girl?"

"A boy."

"Tell Bruce I said hi."

"I will. Now quit stalling and go."


	5. Chapter 5

Clark found Lois on the roof of the Daily Planet. Instead of smoking, she was eating a candy bar. Lois heard the familiar thud of Superman landing on the roof. She turned around and smiled.

"You should be proud of me," she said, "I wanted a cigarette, but I settled for chocolate. I don't know why I came out on the roof to eat it. Habit, I guess."

"I have to something important to tell you."

"What a coincidence. So do I."

"Maybe you should go first," he said.

"Okay. I've been doing a lot of thinking. I don't love Richard, at least not in a romantic way. Richard is a wonderful man. He's been there for Jason and me, but it's not fair to him. I'm not stupid. He loves me, and he's been hoping if he waits long enough, I'll love him too, but it's not going to happen. I don't know that I want to end things with him. It's comfortable and steady. I have to be honest with him though, so he can make a decision.

"As far as Jason goes, I want you in his life but not as his father. He's not ready for it. He thinks Richard is his dad, and he loves him. Maybe one day we can all sit down and tell him, but he's been through so much lately. Kidnapping and near death experiences. One positive thing that came out of being kidnapped is that he isn't allergic to kryptonite or at least it isn't effective immediately, but he does have other allergies. I don't think I told you that he recently developed your super strength. He pushed a piano and killed a guy to save me. Can you imagine being in kindergarten and suddenly you're unbelievably strong, you've killed a person, and then you find out your father's not your father? He's a resilient kid, but I'm not sure how much he can handle."

"I understand, and I agree."

"That's good to hear. Now what's your news?"

"I still love you, and I have to be honest with you. There's no easy way to tell you this, so I'm just going to say it. I'm Clark Kent. Superman is a disguise that I use to save people in."

Lois stared at him.

"Aren't you going to yell?" he asked, finding her silence disturbing.

"Why? It's my own fault for being stupid and not chasing the story down. I knew you had a secret, Clark, but I thought 'Stay out of his personal life, Lois. If it concerns you, he'll tell you. Lana kept pushing him for his secret and it wrecked their relationship.' Gosh, I'm stupid. I had a child with you, and I didn't know you were Clark. I knew you when you weren't wearing glasses. You both disappear and return at the same time. Maybe I kind of suspected that you were deep down, but I ignored it. Do other people know?"

"My mom does, of course. Chloe, Bruce, and Alfred know."

"I bet you all sat around, laughing and pitying me. Poor, dumb Lois doesn't even know who the father of her child really is. I am mad at you after all, Clark. If you run into your Gotham City buddies, tell them I'm mad at them too. I don't talk to the people that I'm mad at, so it's been nice knowing you, Superman or Clark or whoever you are," she turned around and stormed away.

When Clark came back into the office, Lois still looked mad. He hoped she would cool down and find it in her heart to forgive him.

"Lane, Kent in my office now!" Perry yelled.

That was strange. They hadn't been called into his office together in a long time.

"Some people in Metropolis think they've spotted some weird sort of alien that's not Superman. Now normally I leave these stories for rags like the Inquisitor, but everyone's stories seem to correlate. I want you two to interview some of these people and get to the bottom of this."

"I am not working with Clark. What about Richard?"

"I have Richard working on another story. Besides, you and Kent are the best reporting team I've ever seen. You're unstoppable. I'm not going to make you partners if you don't want to be, but as editor, I have to put the reporters together that I think can do this. I can't take into account who's engaged to whom or who's mad at whom. Feelings belong in your personal life. Got it?"

"Got it," she growled. She punched Clark's shoulder and said, "Let's go."

Clark instinctively rubbed his shoulder like it hurt, which probably made Lois angrier. How they would complete this story successfully, he had no idea.


	6. Chapter 6

Clark and Lois stood in the hallway of an apartment building.

"This is the last loony on the list Perry gave us," Lois said.

"They're not loony. Most of them have seemed fairly sane and intelligent to me, but even more importantly their stories match."

"All these people saw was a dark figure outside last night. I saw a dark figure last night. You just don't conclude that it was an alien. Look who I'm talking to, a farm boy from Kansas. They sight more UFOs and aliens than anybody and to top it all off, he is an alien."

"What so you have against that?"

"Nothing. My son's half alien, isn't he? I'm not prejudice."

"You're talking to me again. Have you forgiven me?"

"No, I just can't keep my mouth shut."

"I thought you would understand why I can't tell people. Do you go around telling people about Jason?"

"I'm his mother. I have to protect him. That's why I'm not mad at your mom, but when Jason gets older and gets close to a girl that he knows he can trust, I wouldn't expect him to keep it from her. That's what finding someone is about, getting close and sharing secrets."

"I said I was sorry. Don't we all make mistakes?"

"I just need time and I'm sure I can bring myself to forgive you."

"Am I still allowed to see Jason?"

She rolled her eyes. "Yes. I'm even inviting you to his school music recital Saturday. I expect you to come as Clark Kent, of course."

"Thank you."

"Let's just get this interview over with, Smallville."

He grinned. She hadn't called him that in a long time. Coming from Lois, it was a sign of affection and a sign that she was on her way to forgiving him.

The interview was the same as the others. A dark figure was outside the window, despite the fact that it was the 6th floor.

They went back to the Daily Planet where they both sat at Lois' desk trying to get a story out of it.

"We can't just print 'People saw dark alien figure outside their windows last night.'" Lois said. "We knew that to begin with and we need proof that something strange happened. We need a lead or an angle."

"I know. What do all these people have in common?"

"Besides their insanity?"

"Lois."

"Okay. Okay. Well, they all live in Metropolis."

"That's a good point. Did you also know that they all had children?"

"I hadn't noticed that, but that is odd."

The phone rang. It was Jason's allergist.

"Miss Lane, I'm calling about the results to your son's tests. He seems to have lost all his allergies except to dogs."

"That's good news."

"Yes, but it's unusual. Your son had a lot of allergies."

"He's just getting healthier. Thanks for telling me. Bye." She looked at Clark. "Did you hear that?"

"I don't eavesdrop if I can help it."

"Jason's only allergic to dogs now. I wonder why he's still allergic to that."

"Maybe because his mother is."

"Yeah, probably. I hate dogs."

"You do not."

"I do so."

"Need I remind you that you're the one who brought us Shelby?"

"I hit him with my car. I had to bring him home."

"You love dogs and you know it."

"Yeah. Unfortunately, I've always had a soft spot for naked guys and stray dogs."

All this time, they had been drawing closer. Before either really knew what was happening, they were kissing.

When they pulled away, they noticed a lot of people were staring at them. One in particular was Richard. He had just got off the elevator, but he turned around and got back on.

"Richard, wait!" Lois shouted.

He didn't listen, and Lois chased after him.


	7. Chapter 7

Richard was storming around the bedroom, packing his suitcases and Lois was following him, trying to have a conversation with him.

"You can't leave," she said.

"Watch me."

"I know I shouldn't have kissed him, but are you going to let one little lapse of judgment wreck everything?"

"Why didn't you tell me Clark Kent was Jason's father? I thought Jason's father was a man you barely knew and hated."

"Why do you assume Clark's the father?"

"Isn't he?"

"Yes, but it's complicated. I was going to tell you the truth."

"Were you? The bad thing is I never even suspected mild-mannered Clark. I suspected Superman. Remember when I asked you if you ever loved Superman and you said no? I thought you were lying to me but apparently you weren't. I should've never gotten involved in this in the first place."

"Please, I'm begging you not to go."

"Are you begging for yourself or Jason?"

She hung her head.

"If you can look me in the eye and tell me that you love me and want to marry me, I won't go."

"Doesn't Jason mean anything to you? Won't you stay for his sake?"

"I only pretended to be his father for your sake. I hate to tell you this, but I never loved him like a son. Sure he's a good kid and I'm fond of him, but he's not my son."

"But he loves you like a father."

"I know, and it was wrong to be what I wasn't, but he's only 5 and he's already taken a liking to Clark."

"Where are you going?"

"Far away from here. I might leave the U.S." he said, heading into the living room.

"At least tell Jason, goodbye."

"Why? He's not my son!"

"Keep your voice down! I know you have enough of a heart left to keep him from finding out like this."

"I'm angry, Lois, and I don't trust myself around the boy right now, but I'll give it a go. Where is he?"

"He's in his bedroom. Angie's watching him."

"Who's Angie? See this is one reason why I don't feel a lot like his father. You try and take care of him by yourself and make all the decisions."

"Angie is his babysitter. She's a college student at Met U. She's a responsible girl and she needs the extra cash. What do you mean you don't know who Angie is? You met her when we went out last Monday night."

"The kid with the short blonde hair? I remember her now. Speaking of…"

Angie came out of the bedroom. Her face was ashen white. She was trembling. "I don't—I don't know what happened. We were playing with his hot wheels and then he just collapsed for no reason."

Richard and Lois rushed in. Jason was lying on the floor. Richard examined him. He began CPR. He tilted back Jason's head and made his chest rise and fall once. Then he pressed on his chest 5 times.

"Dear God, no. Please, no," Lois whispered, sinking to the floor. She turned around and saw Angie watching with horror. "Don't just stand there! Call 911!"

Lois got more and more afraid as the seconds rolled by. The seconds turned into minutes. She pleaded and bargained with God but nothing was helping.

"I'm sorry, Lois," he said, as he continued pressing on his chest, "but even if he were to revive, he would be brain dead at this point. I'll continue though until the ambulance shows up."

Lois' vision blurred with tears. It had to be a bad dream, but she knew it wasn't. At last, the paramedics showed up. They confirmed Richard's diagnosis. Jason was dead. She began to sob when they started to roll him away on the stretcher. She brushed the bangs to the side of his cold forehead and cried over his body. It was real.


	8. Chapter 8

Chloe pulled her jacket closer around her. The fall day was chilly, but the sun was still bright in the sky. It seemed terrible that such a bleak day could look cheery. The sky should have been crying. The people gathered around Jason's casket certainly were.

Martha was crying for the grandson that she would never get a chance to meet. Clark was crying for the father-son relationship that he would never get to form. Perry was crying, an eerie sight for a man that always seemed so gruff. Jimmy and other friends and family members were there and crying, as the little boy was lowered into his grave. The one person who wasn't crying and standing alone by choice was Lois.

Chloe knew her cousin well enough to know how torn she was on the inside. She never liked to be emotional in front of people if she could help it. The tears would come afterward when she was by herself. Richard was making sure he kept his distance from her at the funeral. When Clark had told her the tragic news, the fact that Lois and Richard had separated came up, but he hadn't said why. Now Lois was going to grieve alone and you needed a little of that, but you also needed to have someone to grieve with. Clark had been trying to get Lois to talk about it, but she hadn't said anything other than to tell Clark that Jason was dead.

Lois hadn't made any of the arrangements. Probably because that would have made it seem definite and final. Clark had taken care of it all. Everyone knew the truth about Jason's paternity, but in the face of such tragedy, nobody really seemed to care.

The preacher began to read the 23rd psalm. Chloe leaned into Bruce for comfort as she listened to it.

"The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want. He maketh me to lie down in green pastures: He leadeth me beside the still waters.  
He restoreth my soul: He leadeth me in the paths of righteousness for His name's sake.  
Yea though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil for thou art with me; thy rod and thy staff they comfort me.  
Thou preparest a table before me in the presence of mine enemies: thou anointest my head with oil; my cup runneth over.  
Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life: and I will dwell in the house of the Lord forever. Amen."

Chloe knew without a shadow of a doubt that Jason was in the house of the Lord. He was such a sweet, gentle soul. He was an angel on earth, and in his short life span, he had touched so many lives for the better. His death had been so unexpected and mysterious. The autopsy hadn't been able to explain it. His body had just shut down and stopped working.

People were beginning to head for their cars. Bruce didn't say anything but gently began to lead Chloe toward the car. Alfred had also attended and was driving. Chloe hesitated before getting in. Lois was still standing there, looking so lost. Bruce knew what Chloe was thinking.

"Sweetheart, you can be there for her later. She has Clark now. You have a son about to be born any day, and I don't think she'd want to be reminded of that right now."

Chloe nodded and Bruce shut the door for her. They left.

"One of the nicest memories I have of Master Jason," Alfred said in a shaky voice, "is when he was 3. He had snuck into the room with the grand piano and was just banging away and grinning from ear to ear. He loved music so much and he was good to be so little."

Chloe got a fresh batch of hot tears. "Bruce, I know you wanted to name the baby, Thomas after your father, but would you mind terribly if we made that his middle name and called him Jason?"

"I think that's a wonderful idea," he said.

sss

Lois was huddled in the corner of Jason's room, holding his teddy bear. Someone was at the door. That someone was Clark. Lois didn't make a move to answer the door. She just stared emptily into space.

Clark finally forced the door open and found Lois still in the corner.

"Lois, why don't you come sit on the couch with some light?"

She didn't answer. He pulled her gently up and took her to the couch.

"It helps to talk about it and get all your emotions out in the open."

She still didn't answer.

"He was my son too, you know."

She looked at him angrily and her eyes filled with tears. "You have no idea what this feels like. You weren't there when he said his first word or took his first step. You didn't take him to piano lessons. You were not a part of his life."

"I wanted to be," Clark said, his own tears beginning to form. "Don't you think I know what a lousy father I turned out to be? I'm Superman, and I couldn't even save my own son."

"It has nothing to do with you. I was his mother. I was there in the house fighting with Richard instead of being with my son in his last moments. Why didn't I take the day off and spend it with him? He asked me to, but I said I had to work. I was an awful mother, and it's my fault he's dead."

"That's not true."

"Then it's God's. Why did He take my baby away? Why does God let children die?"

"Only God knows, but there's always a reason. We have to trust that He knows what's best and that Jason is happy with Him."

"But I'm not happy. It's not what's best for me. Jason was my life. Parents are supposed to go before the children. I—I don't know what to do."

Clark held her as she cried.

"I just don't think I can ever heal," she said. "I need to know how it happened."

"I know, and I'm going to find the answers."

"How?"

"I have this person or more like a computer that seems to know a lot about these kinds of things, but I have to go alone."

"I don't care. Go."

"I'm not leaving you alone. My mother is back at the farm. I want you to stay with her."

"I can't leave."

"I don't think it's good for you to stay by yourself tonight."

"You're wasting time." She sighed. "I'll go stay with Mrs. Kent."

sss

"Thanks for letting me spend the night, Mrs. Kent."

"This house is always open to you, honey. You know that. You'll be sleeping in Clark's room, of course."

"I can't sleep right now. I'm going to stay on the couch and watch some TV."

"When's the last time you slept, Lois?" Clark asked.

"I don't know."

"Exactly," he said, "you need to sleep."

"Clark's right, dear," she pulled out a bottle of sleeping pills from the medicine drawer. "Take one of these. You need a good night's rest."

Lois was about to protest, but she was too tired to fight. She hadn't slept since Jason died except for maybe an hour here or there of nightmarish, fitful sleep. After she took it, Clark lifted her up and carried her up the stairs. He laid her in bed. She curled up and pulled the blankets up around her chin. Clark held her hand until she fell asleep. He kissed her forehead.

"I will take care of you," he whispered. "I'll find those answers about our son's death. I promise."

He flew into the starry night.


	9. Chapter 9

"I need answers, Jor-El!" Clark shouted. "Why did my son die?"

"Had you chosen to learn all the knowledge of the universe and complete your training, you would know."

"Just give me a straightforward answer for once."

"When you made your fruitless journey through the universe, you brought back an alien parasite."

"What? What parasite?"

"You passed through the galaxy that contains this dark creature. It looks to be nothing more than an oddly shaped shadow. It feeds off the pain of losing others from death, but it can only feed off the person who passed through. It searched Metropolis until it found flesh of your flesh. It can only come out at night. It passes through its victim, leaving them stunned and cold briefly, then the next day when the sun reaches its highest point, the victim's body completely shuts down."

"Then it's my fault he's dead. How will Lois ever forgive me? How can I forgive myself? At least Jason is my only biological family member. It will have to go back now."

"Not so, Kal-El. It will seek out the people related to Jason, and on Earth, everyone can be traced back to one man and one woman. It will become stronger and faster until it has wiped out the entire human race."

"How can I stop it?"

"It has came and gone for the night. It goes beneath the earth's surface until the sun sets. If you could somehow expose it to the sun, it will dissolve, but the creature is as intangible as a real shadow. The task is an impossible one. Other than the animals, you will be the only one left alive on the planet."

"No. There has to be a way to stop this before it claims another life."

"It has already passed through the body of Lois Lane."

Clark couldn't speak. He was too horrified. He left the fortress as fast as he could go.

sss

Lois was sitting up in bed when he got there.

"I couldn't sleep," she said. "I felt weird and cold all at once and then the sleeping pill stopped working."

He hugged her. "That's okay."

"Not so tight. I'm not going anywhere. Did you find anything out?"

"You remember the alien story we were working on?"

"Yeah..."

Clark told her what Jor-El had told him except the part that she was going to die next. "I understand if you hate me now."

"I don't hate you. You didn't know, but we can't talk about this now. We have to find a way to stop it before it takes another innocent life."

Clark nodded and tried to choke back the tears that were threatening to fall.

"There's something else, isn't there? Please don't keep anything from me. We know how well that worked in the past."

He took a deep breath. "I was only trying to protect you from the truth, but you have the right to know. That strange feeling you got was the creature passing through. You have until this afternoon to live."

Lois simply said, "Oh."

"Oh?"

"I know this sounds bad, but I'm not terribly disappointed. I want to see my son again."

"Lois!" Clark said in tears and disbelief.

"I'm sorry that I'll be leaving you behind, but there's nothing we can do now but accept it. Why don't we spend the last few hours of my time here, living life to the fullest?"

"What do you mean?"

"You're Superman. We can go anywhere in the world. We can have breakfast in France and see the Eiffel tower. Have lunch in Italy. After that we can come back here and sit on the porch swing until it's time. You'll still have time to think up a way to stop that evil being. I know you can."

He put his head down, and Lois wrapped her arm around him. "It'll take our minds off things for a while. You don't want to sit around here and mope, do you?"

Clark made himself smile for her. "Let's go see Paris."

"That's the spirit."

sss

Lois made a lot of her funny and sarcastic remarks about Paris and Rome in an effort to keep him smiling, and they truly had a wonderful time together. It almost made Clark forget until they sat down on the swing and just held onto each other. Shelby, who was still alive, came out and laid on the porch with them. He whimpered as if he somehow knew that Lois' time was drawing short. Lois looked glad to see the old dog giving him a few good pats.

"It's a pretty day, isn't it?" Lois said, breaking the silence.

"Is it? I hadn't noticed."

"Will you make me a promise?"

"Anything."

"I know life will be hard, but you have to keep going. I meant it when I said the world needed Superman. Keep being Superman, no matter what. Don't think of this as the end. Think of it as a see you later. Life is a bus station and my bus came in a little early, but we'll all arrive home one day. That sounds cheesy, doesn't it? I never was good at metaphors."

"I like it. It makes sense."

"I don't regret our relationship. I just regret the way it played out. How could a love that brought Jason into the world be bad? I think eventually, had I lived, we would've gotten back together. I love you."

"I love you too."

They spent their last moments together in silence. They didn't need to say anything else. Clark heard when the last breath escaped from her lips and her heart ceased to beat.


	10. Chapter 10

Clark was in his Superman costume and waiting in the twilight sky. He had thought of a ridiculously easy plan. He just needed to wait for the creature to come out.

At last, the final orange and pink light disappeared from the sky, and he saw the shadow creature along the ground. He had to wait until it rose higher, so it couldn't find refuge in the ground, then he shot up until he reached space. He flew round the planet so fast, he caused the western hemisphere to shift back to the sun. He went back and was relieved to see the creature dissolving into nothingness.

He should have felt victorious. He should have been able to put Lois and Jason to rest, but he couldn't. He was alone. He still had his mom and friends like Chloe and Bruce, but everyone had their own separate lives to lead. He also couldn't shake the feeling that at some point, his life events had spewed into an unnatural course. If he had followed the right path for his life, Lois and Jason would still be alive. He was going to go back to Jor-El. Maybe there was still a way to fix this like there had been other times.

sss

"I'm sorry, son, but it is impossible for you to change the past."

"You said that destroying the creature was impossible."

"I obviously underestimated you."

"And you're underestimating me now. I will do anything I can to bring them back."

"I have warned you over the years not to be hasty in your decisions. There was a crystal that could have repaired this, but it was already used."

"How could I have known then that I would need it more later on? Did you know then?"

"I do not have a crystal ball. I have facts to analyze that allow me to make conclusions about the future."

"Why didn't you tell me what was going to happen?"

"I told you that it could only be used once. You have to make your own decisions based on all the knowledge you have available at the time."

"I never should have made that stupid journey through the universe and then I wouldn't have wasted so many years or have drawn the creature here."

"That is true, but there is one thing specifically that altered it all."

"What's that?"

"Being afraid of me and choosing not to train with me when I first approached you. You would have spent your college years with me, learning what you needed to know. Things would have not have turned out for the worse. 5 years of training may seem like a lot, but 5 years on a futile trip is just as bad. Had you trained, you would have known it was futile. The universe has a plan for everyone. You chose not to follow yours."

"What was my original plan? What all did I do wrong?"

"You were in a relationship that was not meant to be for one thing."

"Are you saying that being with Lois was a mistake or that my son was a mistake? You're wrong! It wasn't and couldn't be a mistake!"

"I was referring to Lana. You almost ended up marrying the wrong Earth woman. Not only was she about to pay for the return of your life, an event that wouldn't have happened had you been with me, but it was also the universe's way of trying to bring you back on track. Your Earth father would also be alive. That was not the only change the universe made in an attempt to fix your mistake. The universe brought Lois Lane into your life earlier than it should have to steer you away from your childish fixation that would've gone away naturally had you-"

"Trained with you for 5 years. I get it. How were things supposed to go?"

"When we finished, you would have had the training to walk straight into the Daily Planet, where you have fallen in love with Lois at first sight. Lois would have all but ignored Clark Kent but been madly in love with Superman. She would have gradually started to know and love Clark. You would have become engaged and told Lois your secret. With no reason to leave Earth, you would have married her and had Jason, as well as a beautiful daughter that you would have named Lara. You both would have lived to see your children grow up and your grandchildren."

"You wouldn't think one little decision was so important to all that but surely if the universe wanted its plan followed so much, it can still put me on the right course."

"Perhaps there is a way, but you must understand that it is not guaranteed."

"Just tell me."

"If I were to train you for 5 years like I should have, the Kryptonian technology that this fortress contains could not only bring time to a stand still during this period but put it into rewind and record over the past with new events. There is a chance that 5 years is not long enough and you would waste another 5 years. It has never been done on the people of Earth, so I do not completely know what to expect."

"I'll try it."

"You must understand that you and everyone else will not remember the way things were before."

"That's a good thing."

"Neither can I guarantee that something else will not go off course for one reason or another."

"I have to try."

So Clark immediately began the training, hoping and praying that it would work.


	11. Chapter 11

Clark took a good look around the Daily Planet. It was his first day, and he was nervous and excited at the same time.

Mr. White had told him that a Lois Lane would be working with him until he got used to things. Her desk was across from his, but she hadn't arrived yet. Then he saw the most beautiful woman he had ever seen step off the elevator. He watched her walk to the desk marked Lois Lane. He couldn't believe his luck. He watched as she pushed her lovely brown hair behind her ear and picked up her coffee mug. He was startled when her sharp eyes focused in on his. "What are you staring at?" she asked rather harshly.

He blushed. She had noticed him staring at her. "Um, uh. I'm Cla-Clark Kent," he managed to stutter. He got up from his desk and went to shake her hand. Instead of shaking his hand, she handed him her coffee mug.

"I want a little cream and lots of sugar in my coffee."

This wasn't going well, he thought, as he poured the coffee.

"Don't take it personal, Mr. Kent," said a young man, "she's like that with almost everybody. I'm Jimmy Olsen."

"It's nice to meet you."

"She does get better, as you get to know her, but if you have a crush on her, you'd better get over it. I've hardly ever seen Miss Lane dating. Work is her life."

"Thanks for the advice," Clark said and he took her the coffee.

Jimmy laughed, as he watched Clark meekly handing her the coffee and looking for her approval. Clark wasn't going to get over it. It would take a super man to crack her shell. While Clark appeared to be a nice guy, he didn't seem to fit that description.

"So what's our assignment for today, Miss Lane?" Clark asked her.

She set down the folder that she was looking through and got intimidatingly close. "Let's get something straight, Kent. I may have to keep the boss happy by babysitting his newest employee, but that doesn't mean I have to like it. I don't want to be best buds. I don't even want to be civil. I work alone. You are just tagging along for a short time."

Clark nodded and sat back down at his desk. Lois watched him and felt a little pity for him. He was probably some farm boy from nowhereville and this was his first encounter with unfriendly city folk. Oh well. That's how life worked in Metropolis. He'd better get use to it.

Lois' phone rang. She smiled when she saw the id and answered it. "Hey, cuz! How are you?"

Clark watched her. She had a warm, genuine smile. He wished she would smile at him like that. He tried to tune out the conversation, but he couldn't help hearing it.

"Hey, Lois. Are you still going to visit this weekend?"

"Of course I am. It may be my only chance to see the inside of a mansion. How is being a newlywed?"

"It's like walking on clouds even after a month."

"I'm happy for you, sweetie. Are you sure you want me intruding on your cloud walking?"

"Bruce has to go out of town. It'll just be us girls and Alfred."

"Who's Alfred?"

"The butler, remember? He was Bruce's best man."

"That's right. Well, I'd love to keep chatting, Chloe, but I have to get to work. Bye."

"Bye. See you this weekend."

"Who was that?" Clark asked.

"None of your business."

"It wasn't Chloe Sullivan, was it?"

"How do you know my cousin?"

"I'm from Smallville."

"Smallville, huh? So you're that Clark Kent."

"So Chloe mentioned me?"

"Only once, but then I only reconnected with her a month ago when she invited me to her wedding. She said you disappeared before senior year."

"I went to get an education and travel the world."

"Educations are overrated. I spent 5 torturous years at Met U just so I could get a degree in journalism, but the knowledge comes from actually doing the job. So you're a Smallvillian? I've never been there myself, but Chloe says it's the weirdest, smallest place that you'll ever see. Apparently she got into all sorts of life and death situations in that quaint little town."

He didn't know how to answer her. He must've look like an idiot, and he felt his face growing hot.

"Come on, Smallville. Time to go chase down the story. Let me remind you to stay out of my way. If you get hurt your first day, they'll blame me."

He smiled, as he went to follow her. "This may sound a little strange, but I feel like we've met somewhere before."

"That's one of the oldest lines in the book. Right after, 'Do you believe in love at first sight?' Just so you know, I don't."

Clark smiled again. He'd been doing that a lot around Lois.

They left to pursue a story down at the docks. It was also where Lois saw Superman for the first time and changed her opinion on love at first sight. However, the lasting love grew with Clark Kent.

sss

I'm sure you're wondering by now what the heck's going on. If everyone forgot the previous line of events, how can I be writing about it?

Once the new life was firmly established Lois, Clark, and I got the memories of our old life before the change, which was when we were in our 50s. It might seem confusing, but it's like the 2nd timeline is our clearest and truest and the first was a memorable dream or a previous life. We think maybe the universe or Jor-El did it on purpose so Clark and Lois would know their previous mistake and I would document it so that everyone could learn from it. I wrote the way things were in the previous time line, now I'm going to go back and write the way things happened the 2nd time around. This is going to be the longest autobiography in history.

This chapter told how that 2nd timeline really came about, but like I said this chapter can't make it in until after we're dead and gone, so I'll make something up. This chapter didn't have a lot to do with my autobiography anyway. If you're interested, Bruce and I did have our son in the 2nd timeline, and we named him Thomas Alfred Wayne. He's married now with two kids of his own, and speaking of my grandchildren, Janet and Alan are knocking on my study now. So I'm going to officially end this chapter and go play with them. They're spending the weekend here. Kids grow up so fast; I don't want to miss a moment.

The End


End file.
